The present invention relates to barcodes and, more specifically, to layered barcodes readable from multiple angles in three dimensions.
Barcodes have become popular to convey information in various circumstances. Quick Response (QR) codes are a versatile type of two-dimensional barcode that can be used to encode web addresses, resource locations, or other data. Typically, a QR code includes square cells arranged in a square grid on a white background. The arrangement of cells can be interpreted as a binary representation of encoded data. A scanner captures the QR code with a camera and then decodes the data to discover the encoded data.
Compared to traditional one-dimensional barcodes, QR codes are able to encode a greater amount of information and can typically be read faster. Various applications exist for smartphones and other devices to enable these devices to read QR codes and other barcodes, so as to quickly convey information to users of such devices. As a result, businesses are using QR codes with the expectation that users will be able to scan them and extract the information those businesses want customers to have. For instance, QR codes are often used in promotional materials to provide links to a business's website or to product purchase pages. For another example, QR codes are used to provide coupons within brick-and-mortar stores or elsewhere.